My View from the Garden

 

A note from DSBG CEO John Searby

What an incredibly exciting and dynamic time to be a part of this organization legally known as Daniel Johnathan Stowe Conservancy. Our members, visitors, and neighbors may call us Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, DSBG, Stowe Gardens, Stowe, The Gardens, or any other number of things, but when Dan Stowe founded this organization over 30 years ago, he chose to include that word “conservancy” to clearly communicate his intent to set aside nearly 400 acres of land on the banks of Lake Wylie for permanent conservation to be enjoyed by the public and to inspire a love of nature and its beauty.

Earlier this month we celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the gardens being open to the public with the Lost Hollow Music Festival. Over 200 members of the Founder’s and Evergreen Societies joined us that evening for “Roots and Rhythm,” an evening of great food, great music, and reminiscing about all of the unforgettable outdoor experiences we’ve all had over the past 25 years here at DSBG. We also announced that thanks to the continued generosity of the Kimbrell Family Foundation, our Lost Hollow Children’s Garden will be undergoing a renovation this winter to add a half mile children’s adventure trail that will connect the children’s garden to an accessible, castle-themed wooden playground on the edge of our prairie. We are so excited to share this new family feature in the spring of 2025 and the work is already underway!

One of the things that Dan knew when he set this land aside was that it provided an amazing amount of ecological diversity, a variety of outdoor experience opportunities, and the ability to connect people to the land, water, flora, and fauna in many unique ways. If you still haven’t had the opportunity to visit our Trailhead Store (the log cabin near the ponds) and experience our new pond loop trails and trail connections to the Duke Kimbrell Trail section of the Carolina Thread Trail, there is no better time than this fall. With the cooler temperatures and early sunsets, you can enjoy a half mile to a three mile hike and end with a warm coffee drink, fall seasonal beer, or glass of wine as you watch the sun set over the ponds. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Inside the gardens, there is a flurry of activity as our team gets ready for Holiday Lights in the Garden. This year, our lights display is sponsored by Albemarle, and we are very appreciative of their support to once again bring one of the Charlotte region’s most beloved holiday traditions to new heights! When it is all said and done, our staff will spend over 4,000 hours designing and implementing the lights displays all around the gardens for your festive enjoyment. With over 30,000 visitors expected to enjoy Holiday Lights this year, I would encourage you to pre-purchase your tickets as most weekends sell out quickly. You can get more information and purchase tickets HERE.

I hope to see many of you out at the gardens or other parts of the property in the coming months as we wrap up a great 2024 and look forward to more exciting changes in 2025. If you aren’t a member yet or haven’t renewed your membership in a few years, there is no better time than now to ensure that you are the first to know, first to access, and first to experience all of that our team will be bringing you in the new year as we continue to live out Dan Stowe’s vision of being a crown jewel of conservation and outdoor experiences in the Charlotte region.